Slack or cuttings removing device for kerf-cutting machines



Sept. 11, 1951 D. HAGENBOOK SLACK OR CUTTINGS REMOVING DEVI FORKERF-CUTTING MACHINES Filed March 30, 1949 w mm N 6 b R E A H. QM. 0 wLw P 1951 D. HAGENBOOK 2,567,204 SLACK OR CUTTINGS REMOVING DEVICE FORKERF-CUTTING MACHINES Filed March 50, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 11, 1951 SLACK OR CUTTIN GS REMOVING DEVICE FORKERF-CUTTING MACHINES- Loy D. Hagenbook, Chicago, Ill., assignor toGoodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of IllinoisApplication March 30, 1949, Serial No. 84,444

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements inslack or cuttings removingdevices for kerf-cutting machines of the endless cutter chain type. andmore particularly to cuttings removing devices for kerf-cutting machineswhich are slidable on their own bottom on the mine bottom, although notnecessarily limited to the latter type of machines.

Among the objects of the present invention is to provide an improvedform and arrangement of an endless chain conveyor device havingprojecting paddles pivoted to the chain and especially adapted to removethe cuttings as fast as they are discharged by the cutter chain at therear end of the machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved guidingdevice for the impeller chain and paddles so that the paddles will movein a path closely approximating the path of movement of the cutter chainas the cuttings are delivered from the latter to the paddles.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a paddle-typeendless chain impeller device of the character above described whereinthe paddles are permitted to collapse towards the chain while they aremoving in inoperative position, thereby providing a more compact mech-'anism for its intended purpose.

v Other objects of the invention will appear from time to time as thefollowing description proceeds.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a kerf-cutting machine of theroom and pillar type to which my improved slack removing device isapplied, showing portions of the slack removing device and associatedparts of the kerfcutting machine in section;

Figure 2 is an enlarged detailed section taken generally on line 22 ofFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a detail section taken generally on line 3- 3 of Figure 1;

' Figure 4 is a detail section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail section taken generally on line 55 ofFigure 4; and Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of theimpeller chain and paddles and the arcuate guiding means therefor.

Referring now to details of construction of the embodiment of myinvention illustrated in the drawings, a slack removing device is forillustrative purposes shown as applied to a kerfcutting machine ofconventional room and pillar type, including a main frame having acutter bar |2 projecting forwardly therefrom. As usual, a cutter chainI3 is driven orbitally about said cutter bar and operates in a cuttingschannel It! defined by side Walls l5, l5 and a base plate It beneath adrive motor M. The cutter chain is driven by a sprocket powered as usualfrom a motor |4 above the cuttings channel and cutter bar, so as tobring the cuttings rearwardly through the cuttings channel for dischargeat the rear end of the machine. During the cuttingoperation of themachine the base plate It of the machine rests on the mine floor and themachine is maneuvered along the mine floor by the usual flexible cables(not shown) trained over power drums 20, also driven by the motor l4.

A slack removing device forming the subject of the present invention isshown herein as a detachable unit consisting essentially of a housing 2|disposed transversely across the discharge opening IQ of the cuttingschannel at the rear of the machine. Said housing has an elongatedcuttings receiving aperture 22 on its inner side opposite and closelyadjacent the cutter chain sprocket I! of the machine. Said housing isarranged to close the rear end of the cuttings channel so thatsubstantially all of the cuttings brought back by the cutter chain willbe received and discharged by the slack removing device.

In the form shown herein the housing 2| is detachably connected to themain frame of themining machine as by. side plates 23, 24 formedintegrally'with the housing 2| and secured to the outer faces of theside walls I5, H: of the cuttings channel by suitable bolts 25, 25. Itwill be understood, however, removing device could be constructed as anintegral part of the kerf-cutting machine.

An endless conveyor indicated generally at is mounted for horizontalorbital movement within the housing 2|. The conveyor consists of a pairof vertically spaced chains 3|, 32, said chains being trained over apair of vertically spaced sprockets 33 and 34 fixed on an upright shaft35 at one end of the housing 2| and over a similar pair of sprockets 31and 38 fixed on an upright shaft 39 at the opposite end of said housing. The sprocket shaft 35 is journaled at its upper end in the topplate 4|] of the housing 2| and at its lower end in the bottom plate 4|of said housing. The sprocket shaft 39 is also journaled at its bottomend in the bottom plate 4| of the housing 2| but passes through ajournal bearing 42 in an auxiliary housing and has a gear 43 mounted atits upper end in said auxiliary housing on the top of said main housing2|.

that, if desired, the slack- The sprocket shaft 39 with its bevel gear43 is driven from the motor l4 of the mining machine by a drivemechanism somewhat similar to that disclosed in U. S. Patent No.2,352,795 to W. T. McCullough, so the details of said drive connectionneed not be fully described, excepting to point out the bevel gear 46meshed with the bevel gear 43 on sprocket shaft 39 and driven through aone-way shifter clutch 41 on shaft 48 and having a bevel gear 49 fixedthereon meshing with a bevel gear 50. The latter gear is loosely mountedon the shaft 5| and is connectible thereto by an automatic limit clutchof well known construction indicated generally at 52. The shaft 5| has asprocket 53 on its inner end connected to a drive sprocket 54 by a chain55. The drive sprocket 54 is fixed on the rear end of a shaft 56extending from the rear end of the kerf-cutting machine. In the formshown, the shaft 56 is part of the rear truck driving connectioncommonly used on mining machines of this character, driven from themotor I4.

Referring now in detail to the conveyor mechanism within the housing 2|,the two vertically spaceddrive chains 3| and 32 have a plurality ofpaddles 69, 60 pivotallymounted thereon at suitably spaced intervals.Each of the paddles 6|). includes a reduced neck portion 3| pivoted on apin 35 extending between the upper and lower chain members 3| and 32.The impeller portion 62 of each paddle 59 is generally rectangular inshape to present a paddle-like surface extending substantially the fullheight of the interior of the housing 2| between the upper and lowerplates 49 and 4|. In the preferred form shown. the outer or free edge ofeach paddle member 62 may be formed with a slightly concave margin 53,as shown in Figures 2 and 4, to conform with the general contour of theblocks and bits of the cutter chain I3, as indicated at 66 in Figure 2.

Each of the impeller members 69 also includes a shoe 61- forming anextension of the reduced neck portion 6| opposite the paddle portion 62,as clearly shown in Figure 6. Said shoes are curved in the directionopposite to the normal clockwise direction of orbital movement of theconveyor member, as seen in Figure 1, so as to provide cam surfaces 68adapted to engage a guide plate 59' fixed to the bottom plate 4|. Saidguide plate 69 includes extended guide. portions 1-9, H projecting intoclose proximity to and partiallyaround the two sprocket shafts 35 and 39between the upper and lower sprockets 33, 34. and 3T, 38; respectively.Said guide plate and its two extending portions 10 and H arecontinuously curved, concave to the rear end of the cutter chain l3, ina horizontal planeon a radius approximately midway between a straightline and they center of rotation of the cutter'chain l3 about itssprocket |1'-, as shown in Figure 1.

The-movement of the two chains 3| and 32.

Figures 1 and 2. These last-named guide plates.

and 76 are curved on substantially the same are as the guide plate 69previously mentioned. Due'to'this arrangement, the inner reach of thechains 3| and 32 move along an arcuate path as indicated in Figure l,and the inner guide plate.

69 is so spaced with respect to the pivot pins 36 of the severalimpeller members 62 that the cam surfaces 68 of the shoes 61' areengaged withthe.

guide plates 59 as they pass along the latter so that each paddle willbe held in a substantially perpendicular relation with respect to thechains as it moves along the inner reach across the discharge opening |9of the cuttings channel I8.

The arrangement is such, however, that as soon as each paddle passesbeyond the end of the extension? I of the guide plate 69, the paddlemember 60 will then be free for pivotal movement so that its outer endmay be swung into partially collapsed position towards the chains 3|,32.

In the preferred form shown herein, an upright arcuatedeflector plate 19is placed adjacent the rear wall 89 of the casing 2| so as to aid infolding each paddle in the manner just described. However, an elongatedopening 8| is provided along the'rear plate of housing 2| between theshafts. 35 and 39 so as to provide relief for any cuttings that mightotherwise tend to become lodged along the rear reach of the chain.

The use and operation of the cuttings removing device hereinbeforedescribed is asfollowsr During.- the cutting operation of thekerf-cutting machine in its usual manner, the cuttings are brought backby the cutter chain 3 through the cuttings channel |8 as the cutterchain movesabout its rear sprocket II to discharge the cuttings in agenerally rearward direction.-

The cuttings removing device including the. housing 2| is disposed atvtherear end; of the machine so as to receive the cuttings and dischargethem towards oneside of the machine byopera.- tion of the impeller orpaddle members 60. carried by the endless conveyor 30'.

By reason of the arouate guide members 15- and 16 mounted on the top andbottom plates 49 and- 4| of the housing, respectively, the inner reachof the conveyor nearest the cutter chain will move in an arcuatepath-following generally the path. of arcuate. movement of the cutterchain aboutits sprocket.

The fixed. guide plate 69. is mounted on the bottom plate 4| within thehousing 2|. so as to be engaged successfully by the shoes 61 carriedbythe, pivotally mounted paddle members B0 and hold said paddle members inoutwardly extend.- ing. cuttings receiving relation tov the conveyorwhile. said paddles are being moved to, discharge the cuttings from theopen rightehand end of the. housing 2|. After the paddles havevcompleted their discharging function,v their respective-shoes '31 willpass beyond the end of the extension H. of the guide plate 59, andthereafter the paddles are free to. be folded. or. collapsed towards theconveyor chains while the paddles are moving along the outer reach ofthe'conveyor. In this manner thedevice. may be made somewhat more.compact, thus saving, in over-all length. of. the. entire miningmachine.

The rear opening 8|, in the. upright rear wall 8fl' of the housing 2| isdesigned to provide relief. for some of the cuttings. if they shouldtend to.-become lodged within the housing or if an excessiveamount ofcuttings may be carried around the sprocket at the discharge end of thehousing.v

While I have herein shown and described one form in which my inventionmay be embodied it. will be understood that the construction. thereofand the arrangement of the various. parts. may be altered withoutdeparting from the: spirit. and scope thereof. Furthermore, I do notWish to be construed. as, limiting my invention to, the specificembodiment illustrated, excepting as it may be. limited in the appendedclaims.

I claim as my invention:

1-. In a cuttings removing device adapted for connection with aKeri-cutting machine including an elongated cutter bar having anorbitally movable cutter chain thereon, said device comprising a housinghaving an inlet opening along one side adapted to be disposed at therear end of the kerf-cutting machine so as to receive cuttings from therear end of the cutter bar and discharge them towards one side of themachine, an endless conveyor in said housing having an inner reachextending along said inlet opening and guided for arcuate movement in apath proximate to and concave toward the path of movement of the cutterchain at the rear end of said cutter bar.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the endless conveyor hasa plurality of paddle members mounted at spaced intervals thereon, saidpaddle members each having arcuately curved free edges to conformgenerally to the vertical contour of the cutter chain.

3. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the endless conveyor hasa plurality of paddle members pivotally mounted at spaced intervalstherealong, and guide means disposed along the inner reach of the chaincoacting with said pivoted paddle members to hold the latter inoutwardly projecting relation to the conveyor while said paddles areoperating to discharge the cut-,

tings from said housing.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the conveyor comprises apair of vertically spaced chains, carrying paddle members pivotallyconnected to said chains by pivot pins extending between said chains andwherein guide means is disposed along the inner reach of the conveyorcoacting with the pivoted paddle members to hold the latter in outwardlyprojecting relation to the conveyor while the paddles are operating todischarge the cuttings from the housing.

5. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the endless conveyor hasa plurality of paddle members pivotally mounted at spaced intervalstherealong, and guide means disposed along the inner reach of the chaincoacting with said pivoted paddle members to hold the latter inoutwardly projecting relation to the conveyor while said paddles areoperating to discharge the cuttings from said housing, and wherein thepaddles are free to be folded by pivotal movement towards the conveyorwhile moving along the outer reach of the latter.

6. In a kerf-cutting machine having a cuttings channel and a cutter barin said channel with a cutter chain trained about a sprocket at thedischarge end of said channel, a cuttings removing device including ahousing fixed at the discharge end of said channel with a cuttingsreceiving inlet immediately adjacent the cutter chain in said channel,and an endless conveyor in said housing extending transversely of saidcuttings receiving passage with its inner reach guided for arcuatemovement in a path concave to the path of arcuate movement of the cutterchain about its sprocket.

7. A machine in accordance with claim 6 wherein the endless conveyor hasa plurality of paddle members pivotally mounted at spaced intervalstherealong and guide means disposed along the inner reach of theconveyor and coacting with said pivoted paddle members to hold thelatter in outwardly projecting relation to said conveyor while saidpaddles are operating to discharge the cuttings from said housing.

LOY D. HAGENBOOK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNI'ITED STATES PATENTS

